DeRon stands tall as PN-G target

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DeRon stands tall as PN-G target

By Tom Halliburton

The Port Arthur News

PORT NECHES -- It's still not too late.... for PN-G to be great.... And the Indians just discovered a go-to receiver who offers a tall target for Harrison Tatum to reach.

Spencer DeRon (pronounced Deee-Ron) piddled around last fall as a junior varsity quarterback. He kept piddling last winter and spring at basketball and baseball. And he piddled some more in the first three Port Neches-Groves varsity victories as a starting flanker.

The 6-3, 185-pound junior was a big man on campus last week but he was a notch below a real bonafide football standout with a name and a number to remember.

That was then. When Jim Barton's cameras focus on DeRon this Friday night, The Port Arthur News Friday Night Experience may want to place an isolated camera on No. 19 in the purple jersey.

Who's Deee-Ron? He's Deee pass receiver who grabbed three touchdown catches last Saturday at Nederland.

The 16-year-old son of Glen and Donna DeRon never spent a childhood constantly catching his dad's passes. He never grew up planning to become a great pass receiver. The junior three-sport athlete believed in his ability to catch passes.

There are quite a few more believers around The New Reservation this week. Quarterback Tatum knows DeRon catches pass with confidence. Offensive coordinator Dan Welch realizes the Tribe adds a new dependable weapon to complement the strong backfield threesome of Tatum, Josh Wright and Caleb Harmon.

"They just threw the ball more to me at Nederland than they usually do," DeRon said. "They usually throw it to me twice a game but they threw to me seven times. I just did what I had to do."

Maybe so, but three touchdown receptions certainly provides a nice memory for Spencer's recollection of Saturday night's Mid-County Madness. Nederland showed enough respect in DeRon's direction that superstar senior Asa Cardenas paid attention to Spencer during some of the second half.

DeRon grabbed seven balls -- one more than the great Cardenas -- yet he tried to stay modest on Tuesday afternoon about the accomplishment.

"That was good but we (PN-G's pass defenders) tried real hard to guard him (Cardenas) and they (Nederland's pass defenders) didn't know that much about me as we did about Asa," Spencer noted with a realistic, humble spirit that would have pleased his parents to hear.

"Asa went in at free safety so he would be on me," DeRon said. "What they were doing was using many corners that played on me. (Nederland corner Adrian) Pina tried to hit me and reroute me coming off the ball."

DeRon did not serve as Tatum's target in the first quarter, but the Indians only had one first-quarter offensive possession. When PN-G moved 71 yards in seven plays for its first score early in the second quarter, DeRon helped to account for the lion's share of those yards (52) with a 30-yard reception to the NHS 24 and a 22-yard touchdown catch -- his first of three. Tatum faked to Wright and DeRon wedged between Nederland's Cover 2 zone alignment with 9:06 left in the opening half.

Little did Spencer realize it would be his first of three TD receptions.

"I ran a deep post on that play and it was easy because the safeties were getting width and their secondary was running away from where I was going," DeRon recalled.

DeRon snagged a few more catches before he returned to Nederland's end zone in the fourth quarter's opening minute. PN-G capped a 68-yard, six-play series with 11:06 to play as Tatum connected with DeRon on a successful 32-yard play action toss. Fellow junior Kyler Segura ran a post route with DeRon streaking on straight upfield on the opposite side.

"The idea primarily was to get the ball to Kyler there but they were leaving me wide open," Spencer said. "Tatum did a great job and got it to me."

The Indians covered 72 yards in 11 plays late in the game, scoring with 1:52 to play on a nine-yard lob from Tatum to DeRon.

"I just used my height advantage," he said. "Their defensive back (Michael Roebuck) really couldn't do anything, He tried to throw me out of bounds, but it didn't really work out."

DeRon would love to keep catching all these passes, but folks likely shall know a bit more about him now.

"I could really get used to that," he said.

If Spencer wants to catch three touchdown passes each game, PN-G's fans could used to it, too.

Indian Inklings

Busy Homecoming week and the first game on the Fieldturf helps PN-G's coaches and players to re-focus on a big 20-4A test against Livingston this week. Homecoming queen finalists for Friday night, according to school officials, are Hayley English, Chelsea Horn and Carli Miller. The Indian Sweetheart honoree will be crowned during pre-game coronation ceremonies which start at 7 p.m. The annual homecoming parade will begin by the Hebert Library on Merriman and will culminate at Port Neches Park. The parade is scheduled to begin on Thursday night around The Reservation at 7 p.m. Other homecoming game-day activities include a pep rally in the Competition Gym at 2:30 p.m., and a homecoming dance which lasts until 12:30 a.m. in the school cafeteria.... Besides Homecoming, it's also the first game at the New Reservation and The Port Arthur News Friday Night Experience plans to carry the telecast next Tuesday night at 7 p.m. on Cable 18. The press box will not be fully functional on Friday, so the TV crew and this reporter likely will sit on the opposite side of the field with portable tables.... Top tacklers at Nederland included ILB Christian Kerr (11 first contacts and 10 assists), FS Jacob Lynch (7 and 3), CB Tyler Gizzi (7 and 1), and OLBs Alex Gaspard and Blake Brooks (6 and 5 apiece).... No significant injuries or lineup changes resulted from the Indians' game at Nederland....